


Red Rose, Black Thorns

by Vercingetorix1234



Category: Tales of Berseria
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-24 14:20:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9756479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vercingetorix1234/pseuds/Vercingetorix1234
Summary: Velvet returns and, lacking anything better to do or anywhere else to go, stays with Eleanor. Eleanor is not so secretly pleased. Fluff and Romance.





	1. Chapter 1

Eleanor let out a huge sigh as she closed the door to her home and bent down to pull her shoes off onto the welcome mat. It had been a long day, helping the people of Stonebury rebuild after the string of daemon attacks that occurred after the elemental Empyreans were awakened. Her legs ached from standing all day and her arms ached from carrying her spear, directing the workers and keeping an eye out for daemons. There were very few these days since Laphicet's Silver Flame swept over the land, but there also weren't many people left who could see them anymore, let alone fight them. Still, her exhaustion at least came with the satisfaction of a good day's work. It was different from how she'd felt working for the Abbey, constantly doubting if leaving sparsely populated areas unmanned for the sake of reason was really the right thing to do. The villagers couldn't pay her much, but her work now had a simplicity to it, and gave her the peace of mind that it was just.

She was stirring a pot at the stove, breathing in the steamy spice of peppered vegetable stew, when a loud knock came from her door, followed by two more. It was odd, she thought, since while she was getting to know a few people here, she wasn't particularly close friends with anyone yet. Was it a daemon attack? Eleanor snuffed out the flamestone stove and strode to the door, yanking it open.

"Velvet?!" she said, stepping back. Velvet was standing in front of her, wearing the same ragged outfit as always.

"Miss me?" Velvet said, her lips curled in a small smile.

Tears pooled in Eleanor's eyes, and she dove forward, wrapping her arms around Velvet before she could object.

"You're really back," Eleanor sniffled, relief mixing with the bitter memory of Velvet sacrificing herself. She buried her head in Velvet's shoulder and her breaths slowed as she began to calm down again. She felt Velvet's hands pat her on the back, light touches with awkward pauses in between, and she stepped back, releasing Velvet. "How?"

Velvet's cheeks were tinged red, but her voice was as calm and measured as usual. "I woke up at the Empyrean's Throne three days ago. Laphicet told me that his Silver Flame purified me," Velvet said. Eleanor nodded.

"You can stay here if you like," she said after a moment, ignoring her initial impulse to ask about Velvet's brother. If he had died, as Innominat or not, that was the last thing Velvet needed to be reminded of, no matter how tough the girl acted.

"You don't have to be polite. I'm just stopping by to find out what's happened while I've been gone." Velvet said, looking away. Just then, a loud gurgling sound came from her stomach. Eleanor giggled, and Velvet's eyebrows furrowed, clearly annoyed.

"Stop being stubborn and come in. I just finished making dinner and there's enough for both of us." Eleanor said, waving Velvet inside.

* * *

Eleanor leaned back against her chair and gazed across the table, amused, as Velvet scooped spoon after spoon of stew down her throat as if someone was about to take it away from her.

"So you really are human again." Eleanor said. She'd spent so long thinking of Velvet as a daemon, it really was odd seeing her like this. She was just a girl with silky black hair the same age as her, albeit sloppily-dressed.

"Mhmm." Velvet mumbled with the spoon still in her mouth. She swallowed and took it out. "This is the first thing I've tasted in three years." She paused, as if contemplating something, before finally saying, "It's good."

"Thanks." Eleanor said, and smiled. Compliments from Velvet were as common as blue moons. "You said you wanted news?"

"First, how long has it been?" Velvet said, pausing with her spoon in midair. "All I know is that when I woke up I was alone, and Laphi was still asleep. Phi hasn't exactly seen a calendar recently either."

"Yes, I imagine he'd have a hard time fitting inside a building now," Eleanor said. Velvet chuckled, her mouth twisting into a rare smile. For a moment, her hard, yellow eyes transformed into warm, golden pools. Velvet looked carefree, maybe even happy. Eleanor hadn't seen her like that since Melchior's illusions in Aball. Would Velvet stay like this, now that she had taken her revenge and Laphi had survived in at least some form? Eleanor hoped so. Despite Velvet's many crimes, Eleanor would still like to see her friend happy. Artorius would probably call that irrational.

"Well?" Velvet said, an eyebrow raised. Eleanor's cheeks warmed, realizing that she'd been staring at Velvet for so long without even answering her question.

"Right. It's been three months since we defeated Artorius. Eizen is with the pirates on the Van Eltia, and Rokurou went off to find more enemies to fight. Kamoana, Dyle, and Medissa are living in Reneed." Eleanor said. Eizen sent her letters occasionally telling her about his travels, but Rokurou hadn't kept contact at all. She would give him a good talking-to the next time she saw him.

"And Magilou and Bienfu? She must be getting into trouble without us to bail her out." Velvet said, smirking, though Eleanor thought she heard a hint of affection in there as well.

"She comes here every now and then, but I don't know when she'll be back next. Who knows what she's up to?" Eleanor said. Magilou always was hard to read.

"Like a stray cat, huh?" Velvet said.

Eleanor giggled. "More so than Bienfu."

* * *

The rest of the evening passed in surprisingly pleasant conversation, with Velvet more talkative than usual. Though Eleanor supposed it was also one of the first times the two of them had spent a long while alone together. Before she knew it, it was time for bed, but Eleanor realized there was a problem.

"I only have one bed," Eleanor said, thinking out loud with her hand on her chin, her arm resting on the dinner table.

"I can sleep on the floor," Velvet said. All Eleanor could see of her was her long tresses swaying as she scrubbed the dishes, which she'd insisted on doing despite Eleanor's objections. Eleanor finally gave up since she knew Velvet actually enjoyed cleaning.

"Of course not. You're the guest. I'll sleep on the floor." Eleanor said, shaking her head. Her mother would be rolling in her grave if she let a guest just sleep on the floor.

Velvet finished scrubbing and put her bowl down, turning to face Eleanor. Her brows were furrowed in a harsh expression, as they often were before a battle.

"You should know by now that I do what I want. If I'm a hassle, I'll just leave and sleep outside somewhere." Velvet said.

Eleanor crossed her arms, exasperated. It was just like Velvet to be so stubborn! Not to mention how she continually pretended to be cruel when she was trying to do someone a kindness, even if it was unwanted. She really was utterly selfish.

"We'll just share the bed, it's large enough," Eleanor said, and when she saw Velvet open her mouth, she cut in, "No objections!"

Velvet paused, and then nodded. "Alright. If that's really what you want."

Eleanor led Velvet to her bedroom – not that it was hard to find, the house was essentially just three rooms – and gestured toward the bed. It may have been a bit generous for her to describe it as large – the previous owner hadn't been very wealthy and could only afford cheap, somewhat scratchy beige cotton sheets. Velvet lay down and scooted over to one end, turning to her side so as to take up only a third of the already limited space. Eleanor sighed but decided not to argue the point. Some battles were just not worth fighting. She took the other end of the bed and lay on her side as well, facing the opposite direction. Velvet probably preferred her privacy.

Eleanor lay there for a long time, listening to the crickets chirp from outside her window. She usually slept on her back so it would take some time for her to fall asleep. Suddenly the crickets were interrupted by a soft whistling sound of air passing through teeth. Eleanor turned to face Velvet, and suppressed a chuckle when she saw her snoozing, facing Eleanor with her eyes closed in a gentle expression and a bit of drool dripping from the edge of her mouth. It was, frankly, adorable.

Eleanor turned to the other side again and tried to sleep. Minutes passed, and she was drifting into a state of half-awake dreams about peach pie when she was woken up by the feeling of something warm surrounding her. When she opened her eyes, she realized Velvet had snuggled up behind her and had wrapped her in a tight hug. Eleanor's cheeks burned as she realized the soft feeling against her back were Velvet's breasts, the heat around her stomach was Velvet's arm, and the air tickling her ear was Velvet's warm breath. She couldn't move without waking Velvet, so she closed her eyes and waited for her pounding heart to slow.

It was comforting, actually. She felt warm and safe in Velvet's arms. She remembered the days when she'd lost her mother and slept alone as an orphan in the Abbey, cold without her mother next to her. Velvet would probably be too embarrassed to sleep together the next evening after realizing what she'd done, but for now Eleanor slipped into a deep, comfortable sleep.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Velvet felt a warm body wriggling in her arms, and reflexively tightened her grip.

"Go back to sleep, Laphi. It's still early," she mumbled, too tired to open her eyes. Then the person squealed, and their voice was too high-pitched to be Laphi. Velvet opened her eyes, bleary vision resolving to show Eleanor's bright red face buried in her breasts.

Velvet immediately released her, fighting her own urge to blush. She couldn't believe she'd let her guard down so much that she'd hugged Eleanor in her sleep. It must have been an old habit left over from when she'd sleep together with Laphi on stormy nights.

"I didn't suffocate you, did I?" Velvet said, after Eleanor didn't say anything for long moments. She didn't seem to be having a hard time breathing; maybe she was just upset that Velvet had held her. Velvet opened her mouth to say something, but hesitated. She had never been good at apologizing. She'd never apologized to the people she'd hurt as the Lord of Calamity either. An apology wouldn't fix anything, and those crimes couldn't be forgiven anyway.

"S-sorry!" Eleanor stammered, looking away, her face still cherry-red. "I didn't mean to look!" Velvet chuckled, a bit relieved that that was all it was.

"Don't worry about it," she said, "It's nothing you haven't seen before. My outfit doesn't exactly leave much to the imagination."

"Still!" Eleanor said, finally looking her in the eyes, green eyes bright as they always were when she was passionate about doing things the right way. "I shouldn't have looked. It's the principle of the thing."

"It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't grabbed you in the first place," Velvet said, amused at her antics. Suddenly she became aware of the intimate nature of their position, with the two of them facing each other just inches apart on the bed. Velvet slid her legs off of the bed and got up, striding toward the door. "I'll make breakfast. Don't try to stop me."

* * *

Eleanor swallowed another forkful of the omelette Velvet had made for breakfast. It was simple but tasty, fluffy from being beaten to perfection and spiced with not just pepper but also oregano and basil for flavor and fragrance. Across the table from her, Velvet had already finished wolfing down her own omelette and was wiping her mouth with a kerchief Eleanor had loaned her.

"Do you have any plans now that you've come back?" Eleanor said. Velvet had been driven by revenge for so long that now she might feel purposeless. And as Eleanor knew too well, being unoccupied for too long wasn't healthy.

"No, I don't." Velvet said. Her tone was neutral as always but her shoulders slumped subtly. Eleanor winced, realizing she'd ruined Velvet's cheer from being able to taste her own cooking again.

"Laphi is still asleep, and Phi promised to let me know when he wakes up. Beyond that, I have nothing. No family left, no home to return to, and nothing to do." Velvet laughed, one of her brief, raspy laughs that came when she said something that was really not very funny at all.

"I never planned what to do after killing Artorius." Velvet said, looking in Eleanor's direction but with unfocused eyes. "At first I didn't think I would survive the process, and I didn't care anyway. And at the end, I thought I would be sealed away with Innominat forever."

"W-well, then…" Eleanor said, wracking her brain for a solution, even a temporary one. "Why don't you just help me with my exorcist work?"

"You want the Lord of Calamity to work for the Abbey?" Velvet chuckled, a real one this time, with her smile reaching her eyes. Eleanor found herself smiling back. Velvet's smiles were so beautiful and sweet, like little glimpses of the kind person she used to be and perhaps still was, deep down.

"Why not?" Eleanor said. "Most people in the Abbey won't be able to recognize you without your demon arm anyway. With a few changes to your outfit and hairstyle and a mask you'd look completely different!" Eleanor nodded, the idea sounding better as she thought it up. Now that the legates were gone, there were very few exorcists left who could recognize Velvet by her face alone.

"Alright. If you really think that will work, it's not like I have anything better to do." Velvet said, smirking. Well, if nothing else at least her idea had cheered Velvet up.

* * *

"The first thing you need to do is change into some proper clothes. You can borrow a few of my dresses for now." Eleanor said, holding a finger in the air as she often did when excited. They were in Eleanor's room again, in front of her closet where a variety of colorful, frilly dresses were neatly hung in a row. "We can hardly go to Loegres to get you a mask with you looking like…that." Eleanor said, her brow furrowed.

"Just what are you implying?" Velvet said, feeling a bit irritated.

Eleanor fidgeted, making a tent with her fingers. "Well, it's just that your clothes are quite ragged."

Velvet shrugged. "They're comfortable and practical. They're easier to move around in than those dresses of yours, anyway."

Eleanor stammered, "But it's just, you can see so much," she said, glancing at Velvet's chest meaningfully. Velvet raised an eyebrow at her and Eleanor looked away, blushing. "Anyway, we don't want someone to recognize you so just pick something already!"

Suddenly, Velvet remembered the events of the morning and realized what was bothering Eleanor about her outfit. Heat spread across her face as well. She was comfortable with her appearance and usually didn't mind people noticing, but the appreciative look in Eleanor's eyes just then made her feel unusually embarrassed.

Velvet coughed. "Right. I'll just choose one of these," she said, averting her gaze to the closet. Most of the dresses were unsuitable to her, being too colorful for her tastes and also uncomfortably restrictive. They were the kind of fancy dresses that suited Eleanor's cute, goody two-shoes looks, but even before she became a therion she had preferred plainer, more practical clothing. There were two dresses that looked promising however, and Velvet pulled their hangers from the closet. They were plain, black sleeveless dresses with white floral embroidery lining their collars.

"These look alright." Velvet said, holding them up.

Eleanor crossed her arms. "Those are funeral dresses! You can't wear those."

"It doesn't matter to me. As long as they get the job done." Velvet said. Eleanor sighed and clasped her forehead. Velvet let out a small snort. She was so easy to tease. "Can you give me a moment to change? Unless you're planning to watch."

"N-no, of course not! I'm not that kind of person!" Eleanor sputtered, and quickly turned and strode out of the room. Velvet chuckled again. Eleanor really did have amusing reactions. She could understand how Magilou felt, at least for a moment.

* * *

Eleanor waited outside her room, staring at the closed oak door, trying not to imagine Velvet changing her clothes and failing miserably. What was wrong with her today? She'd been getting embarrassed around Velvet so easily. Though to be fair, Velvet wasn't helping with her teasing. It also didn't help that Velvet was incredibly beautiful. It hadn't affected Eleanor so much in the past, though even when Velvet was her enemy she couldn't help but notice her long, silky hair and refined features, among other…assets.

That train off thought was cut off when she heard the door creak open, and she gasped. Velvet looked even more beautiful in normal clothing, the black and white dress complementing her hair nicely. The dress was slightly small for her, so even though they were fully covered, her breasts were noticeable, and the skirt was short on her. When combined with the matching stockings and her usual greaves, they drew attention to her shapely, cream-colored thighs. To Eleanor's surprise, Velvet's hair was tied up in a braided bun, making her look quite graceful compared to her normal look and exposing her neck.

"I changed my hair like you suggested," Velvet said, noticing her looking at it. "Does it look alright?"

"You look amazing," Eleanor breathed out before she could catch herself.

"Thanks," Velvet said, smiling softly. She tilted her head. "Were you planning to go to Loegres today, or are we heading out later?"

"We might as well head out today," Eleanor said. "It's still early and I think Stonebury will be fine if I'm not here for a day or two now that most of the reconstruction is done and the walls have been repaired."

"Let's get going then," Velvet said, heading toward the front door. "The longer I stay here without a mask, the more likely it is that someone might recognize me."

"Alright then. Let's head out!" Eleanor said, following close behind. Though it wasn't exactly an adventure, it was nice to be able to travel with one of her friends like old times.

* * *

Walking to Loegres took most of the day. The weather was pleasantly sunny as they marched through the Aldina Plains, but Velvet wished Bienfu was there so they could use the geoboard to cut down on their travel time. By the time they passed through the city gates the sun was already setting and most of the shops were closed. They ate dinner at the local tavern and decided to stay there for the night and do their shopping the next day.

"Do you want a separate room?" Eleanor asked Velvet, hesitating before finishing her request to the innkeeper, who was tapping his foot impatiently.

Velvet shook her head. "That would be a waste of money. I can sleep on the floor if you want."

"I don't mind, really. I just wanted to make sure you were alright with it after last night." Eleanor said. She looked up slowly before making eye contact, and Velvet got the impression that she was nervous. She must have been feeling embarrassed about how they woke up.

"I don't have a problem with it," Velvet said. Rather, she had thought Eleanor hadn't liked how clingy she got in her sleep but if she really didn't mind then Velvet didn't mind either.

"Alright." Eleanor said, her face flushing. She was acting very unusual today, blushing so often. It was cute, but it made Velvet wonder if she really did mind sharing a bed but didn't want to say so. Eleanor was a stickler for the truth, but no one was perfect. Velvet decided to take her word for now. She could always get out of bed and sleep on the floor if Eleanor seemed uncomfortable.

Eleanor turned back to the innkeeper and ordered a single room. When she looked down to pull out her coin purse, the innkeeper looked at Velvet and gave her a thumbs up. He must have had his head in the gutter after hearing their last conversation, but Velvet ignored him. There was no point in acknowledging creepy voyeurs who took such an unhealthy interest in the love lives of strangers to the point of inventing imaginary relationships.

Once Eleanor finished paying, they headed up the stairs of the inn to the second floor, where their room was. The room was decent for the price, small but clean with a neatly made bed and a small window with a view of the main street of Loegres. As soon as they went in, Velvet sat on the bed and undid her bun, shaking her hair loose. It was necessary to keep her hair tied to avoid being noticed, and Eleanor seemed to like how it looked, but Velvet was used to her hair being unrestrained.

The bed shook as Eleanor sat down on the opposite side of the bed, having already changed into a baby blue nightgown, but not lying down yet.

"You don't have to wait for me." Velvet said, wondering why Eleanor was hesitating.

"Right," Eleanor said softly, and slipped under the covers, turning to face the opposite side as though she was shy. Still, she must have been comfortable enough, because within seconds she was snoring lightly, babbling incoherent words every now and then.

"Honestly." Velvet said, shaking her head in amusement at the sight in front of her. Everything Eleanor did and said was cute as a button, from her odd shyness that day to her goody two-shoes attitude and choices of clothing to even the nightgown she was currently wearing. They similar to yet somehow different from Phi and Laphi's quirks. It inspired the same protectiveness in Velvet that caused her to be softer on Eleanor than on her other companions during her quest for revenge. But perhaps the difference was how much Eleanor reminded her of herself when she was younger, and of Niko as well. Perhaps that was why she had been able to trust her to take care of Phi after she was gone. Perhaps that was why Velvet found her so endearing, because she had similar hair and pigtails as Niko, and the same pureheartedness. But there was no point to this kind of psychoanalysis. It accomplished nothing and she would need her rest.

Velvet changed into her own yellow nightgown and lay down, this time making sure to stay on the opposite end of the bed from Eleanor. She was tired from the walk to Loegres, and before long sleep claimed her and she was dreaming of her childhood in Aball, playing with Niko and her dogs.

In the middle of the night, Velvet woke up, feeling Eleanor in her arms again. She must have crept up behind Eleanor in her sleep. Velvet lifted her arm slowly, trying not to wake Eleanor up. Eleanor groaned in protest and grabbed her hand, pulling her arm back around Eleanor's waist. At first Velvet thought she'd woken up, but Eleanor's snores resumed a second later, causing her back to expand and contract against Velvet's chest.

Velvet was too tired to bother resisting, and gripped Eleanor tighter, pressing their bodies closer together and nuzzling against her neck. She was half-asleep, and Eleanor was so soft. Why resist something that felt so good? Soon she slipped back into a deep sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Eleanor woke to the same warm feeling of Velvet's arms around her. She relaxed, reluctant to get out of bed just yet. Usually she would get up early since it was a good habit to develop. But she was so comfortable that it was hard to foster the willpower to get up.

Suddenly Velvet began to move in her sleep, her face shifting against the back of Eleanor's neck so her lips dragged across it, causing Eleanor to shudder in pleasure. Velvet's hand rubbed against Eleanor's stomach through the thin fabric of her nightdress and moved an inch downward. At first Eleanor thought it might keep moving down, but it stopped, leaving behind it a tingling sensation that travelled down Eleanor's belly. Eleanor let out a small gasp, and was surprised by the small sense of disappointment she felt that Velvet's hand had stopped moving. Her entire face burned, and then she understood the strange feelings she'd been having ever since Velvet returned. She was attracted to Velvet.

She wanted to deny it. Despite the rocky start to their relationship, Velvet was now her closest friend, and the thought of these feelings jeopardizing their friendship was frightening. But Eleanor had made a promise to herself to face the truth, and there was too much evidence to deny. From that very same fear to her appreciation (no, desire) for Velvet's touch, and the way her heart fluttered when she saw one of Velvet's beautiful smiles.

Eleanor's heart thumped as she suddenly became even more aware of the weight of Velvet's arm around her, and the way Velvet's soft legs were pressed against her own. She understood the truth now, but she still had no idea what to do about it. And Velvet's touch made her feel at once at ease and flushed with desire. Truly, it was both heaven and hell.

* * *

Later that day, they stopped by at Tabatha's tavern for lunch. According to the waiter at the counter, the old woman wasn't there at the moment, so the two of them sat side by side at one of the tables and waited for their mabo curry to arrive. Velvet touched her newly-acquired mask, more at ease now that her face was covered. She had picked out one that reminded her of Seres's mask, with its black and gold pattern, but with almond-shaped holes for her to see through. Eleanor had approved, saying it matched her outfit and that she looked 'stunning.'

Velvet looked to her right at Eleanor, who still occasionally stole appreciative glances at her when she thought Velvet wasn't looking. Velvet felt a tinge of embarrassment at the satisfaction Eleanor's admiration of her new looks brought her. She wasn't immune to flattery, she supposed, at least not from someone she respected.

"Here you go!" the waitress said, pulling Velvet out of her thoughts. Two bowls of mabo curry were placed in front of them, steam wafting and prickling Velvet's nose. She wasted no time in grabbing the spoon and shoveling curry into her mouth, not minding the spice of the red pepper at all.

"Phi would have loved this," Velvet said, having completed her bowl. Suddenly the fullness in her belly didn't seem quite as satisfying.

"I suppose we could bring him a potful of it sometime," Eleanor said, dabbing at the corner of her mouth with a napkin, though Velvet could see a hint of a smile that the napkin didn't cover.

"Would he even be able to taste it?" Velvet said, clenching her fist until her nails dug into her palm. She had wanted Laphicet to live a normal life, the life neither she nor her brother were able to live. Becoming an Empyrean wasn't what she meant when she'd told him to help people.

"It's not your fault." Eleanor said, turning to face her. Her eyes lit up as she spoke, words tumbling out of her mouth as though she couldn't stop. "If you hadn't sealed Inominat then you and Phi would have died. And Phi chose this. He wanted this."

"You're right," Velvet said, though her heart wasn't in it. "There's no point in me whining about it now anyway."

Eleanor was silent for a long moment. Maybe she just didn't know what to say. There weren't any words that could make this right.

Suddenly she felt a warm hand cover her own under the table. She looked to her right at Eleanor again. Eleanor had the same determined expression as earlier, eyes wide and unwavering. Velvet considered pulling her hand away. But she didn't want to. She hadn't had any human contact in so long, and Eleanor's touch was comforting. Before she could overthink things, she turned her hand over and threaded her fingers into Eleanor's own. She glanced at Eleanor, but all she saw was her looking straight forward, the corner of her mouth quirked up. Then she felt Eleanor squeeze her hand back. They just sat like that, neither mentioning their intertwined hands underneath the table as Eleanor finished eating her curry.

* * *

Eleanor's heart pounded as she laid her hand on Velvet's, though she tried not to show how nervous she felt. It had been an impulsive decision. But her heart ached at seeing Velvet beat herself up. After all she'd already gone through, Velvet didn't deserve that, but Velvet was an emotional person, not a rational one. Words alone wouldn't be enough to sway her. Before Eleanor could reconsider, her hand was already on Velvet's.

Now she wondered if this was a good idea. If Velvet became upset, so soon after Eleanor had realized her feelings for the girl, she didn't know what she would do. Then she felt Velvet intertwine their fingers, and Eleanor smiled, reveling in the feel of Velvet's strong fingers gripping her own. Was it wrong to take pleasure in an act she'd intended to make Velvet feel better, knowing Velvet was unaware of her feelings? Still, Eleanor didn't let go through the rest of the meal.

The door at the front of the tavern opened, and Eleanor felt a twinge of loss and cold as Velvet withdrew her hand to turn toward the entrance. She followed Velvet's gaze to see Tabatha approaching their table.

"Hello. I didn't expect to see you here today." Tabatha said, nodding at Velvet.

Velvet smirked. "Apparently I'm hard to kill."

Tabatha chuckled drily. "I can believe that. But we can catch up later. I have an urgent message for you, Miss Eleanor, from Prince Percival."

Eleanor blinked. "From the Prince? What does he need with me?"

Tabatha's voice had a light air to it that Eleanor couldn't trust. "Oh, you'll see soon enough. In any case, you can meet him at the palace. Just give this to the guards." Tabatha handed her an envelope, which Eleanor opened to find a document embossed with the royal seal.

"Understood. I'll be there at once." Eleanor said.

* * *

"I don't like this." Velvet said as they neared the palace. "My gut's telling me nothing good can come from this."

Eleanor frowned. "I admit this is odd, but I don't think it's anything to worry about."

Velvet clenched her teeth. Just when they were about to start a normal life, they were back to dealing with the Bloodwings and royalty. She hadn't wanted the things she'd done for revenge to haunt Eleanor or Phi like this. She was always a selfish person, and now she was paying for her choices in spades.

They reached the palace gates, where two royal guards stood on either end of the oak doors.

"Do you have an appointment?" the guard on the right said.

Eleanor held out the document. "My name is Eleanor Hume. I have been summoned to meet Prince Percival."

The guard took the paper and scanned it. "Very well. And the woman next to you?" he said, and though his face was covered by his helm Velvet thought he seemed to be eying her mask suspiciously. Eleanor hesitated, and Velvet stepped forward.

"I am Rose, Eleanor's bodyguard." Velvet said quickly – Eleanor couldn't lie to save her life. Eleanor looked toward her, eyes widened in surprise, proving that her assumption was completely correct.

"That is acceptable. You will both need to leave your weapons here, however." The guard said. Velvet handed him her sword, and Eleanor did the same with her spear. She'd still have the blade hidden in her boot if she needed it, but she still didn't like it. Now that she didn't have her demon arm anymore, giving up her sword too left her feeling naked.

The two of them followed the guard through narrow passageways lit by kaleidoscopic stained-glass windows. Velvet kept Eleanor in front and to the left of her as a guard would. Eleanor's back was perfectly straight and she didn't speak – at least she seemed prepared for any formalities, which were never Velvet's strong point. After a few minutes, they reached another set of large oak doors with two guards which must have been the throne room. Their guide signaled to the guards, who saluted and heaved the stone doors open, creaking. The opening grew and revealed a long, red carpet leading to Prince Percy sitting on a simple chair next to the marble throne, hands folded in his lap, eyeing them with an odd solemnity as they approached him.

Eleanor curtsied gracefully, fanning out her skirt. She looked at Velvet and tilted her head almost imperceptibly. Velvet sighed, but imitated Eleanor as best as she could, dipping slightly, though she certainly felt and probably looked awkward doing it, with her skirt being rather short.

"Eleanor Hume, reporting for duty!" Eleanor said, still curtsying.

"Rise, Miss Eleanor," the prince said mildly and waved his hand at the guards, who stepped outside and closed the doors behind him.

Once the doors closed, the prince stood and said, "It's good to see you again, Miss Eleanor," much more casually now that they were alone, Velvet noted.

"Get to the point already." Velvet snapped. Eleanor gasped, lifting a hand to her mouth.

"Velvet! You can't just talk like that to the prince!" she said.

"No, it's fine," the prince said, shaking his head. His blue eyes were pale and looked tired, so much less happy than they seemed when he was living in Titania, ironically enough. "I owe you both a great deal, and now I need another favor. I will try to be brief. Eleanor, I want you to be the new Shepherd."

**Author's Note:**

> This is a simple fluffy romance fic. I have an ending in mind but it's mostly going to be a set of slice-of-life chapters, so feel free to give me suggestions.


End file.
